Memorial Coliseum: Roof comes down

The Memorial Coliseum's iconic arched roof collapses Monday afternoon while a demolition crew begins to remove it. The 56-year-old building served as the community's event center until the American Bank Center opened in 2004. Photos by George Gongora/ Caller-Times

The Memorial Coliseum's iconic arched roof collapses Monday afternoon while a demolition crew begins to remove it. The 56-year-old building served as the community's event center until the American Bank Center opened in 2004.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

The Memorial Coliseum's iconic arched roof collapses Monday afternoon while a demolition crew begins to remove it. The 56-year-old building served as the community's event center until the American Bank Center opened in 2004.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

The Memorial Coliseum's iconic arched roof collapses Monday afternoon while a demolition crew begins to remove it. The 56-year-old building served as the community's event center until the American Bank Center opened in 2004.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

The Memorial Coliseum's iconic arched roof collapses Monday afternoon while a demolition crew begins to remove it. The 56-year-old building served as the community's event center until the American Bank Center opened in 2004.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

The Memorial Coliseum's iconic arched roof collapsed Monday afternoon while a demolition crew begins to remove it. The 56-year-old building served as the community's event center until the American Bank Center opened in 2004.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Memorial Coliseum, June 21, 2010

Memorial Coliseum, June 21, 2010

Memorial Coliseum, June 21, 2010

Memorial Coliseum, June 21, 2010

Memorial Coliseum, June 21, 2010

Memorial Coliseum, June 21, 2010

Memorial Coliseum, June 21, 2010

Dave Alvarado places cones to close off traffic lanes on Shoreline Boulevard on Monday before a demolition crew began cutting through the Memorial Coliseum's roof. It partly came down about 30 minutes after the work started.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

Mike Elias (right) and Dave Alvarado close off lanes on Shoreline Boulevard on Monday before a demolition crew began cutting through the Memorial Coliseum's roof, which partly came down about 30 minutes after the work started.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

The 260 tons of steel in the Memorial Coliseum's roof put too much pressure on other sections Monday, forcing its front half to collapse as demolition workers cut it. They later clipped the roof's back sections, and the rest fell.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

After the coliseum's roof fell, demolition crew members begin to clear the debris. The roof had 260 tons of steel.

George Gongora/Caller-Times

The Memorial Coliseum's iconic arched roof collapses Monday afternoon while a demolition crew begins to remove it. The 56-year-old building served as the community's event center until the American Bank Center opened in 2004.